BOSTON – After securing the program's third consecutive GNAC championship and earning the program's third straight trip to the NCAA tournament, the Suffolk baseball team has been rewarded with nine All-GNAC selections, including pitcher of the year honors for Chuck Gibson.
Gibson joins an elite contingent of Rams to earn the conference's top hurler award, as the senior right handed pitcher is the fifth-ever Suffolk player to pick up the accolade. Gibson, who was voted to the All-GNAC first team for the first time in his career, was recognized along with fellow first teamers Matt Brenner and Brady Chant, second team selections Kevin Belskie and Luke Ronchi and third team picks Sean Cameron, Seth Coiley, Kevin Higgins and Ryan Pordes.
Suffolk's nine All-GNAC honors ties the second-most in program history behind the 2009's and 2016's squad 10 honorees.
Gibson, who collected GNAC Tournament MVP honors for his complete-game, three-hit, eight-strikeout shutout over Johnson & Wales in the conference championship contest, was named pitcher of the year after an impressive senior season on the hill. The Malden, Massachusetts, product is 7-0 on the year in seven starts with victories over top league foes then-No. 19/24 St. Joseph's (Maine) and a pair versus the Wildcats of Johnson & Wales. He also marked tallies in the win column against then-No. 9 St. John Fisher during the Rams' annual Spring Break trip to the RussMatt Central Florida. In 54.2 innings pitched, Gibson punched out a total of 38 hitters, while posting a 1.65 ERA.
Chant added more hardware to his growing collection as the junior centerfielder took home a total of three awards. He was named as a first-team selection an outfielder for the second straight season and won a golden glove for the position for the second consecutive campaign. Chant rewrote Suffolk's record books this season, becoming the all-time leader in triples with at Rhode Island College in the third inning as he placed hits then 10th triple of the season in right center to bring in a run. The hit good for three bags brought his career total to 20, putting him ahead of Suffolk Hall of Famer Mike Maguire on the all-time annals. Along his record-setting path, Chant has added multiple firsts to his resume; first player in blue-and-gold to record two triples in one inning in Suffolk history and across NCAA DIII since 2010, accomplishing the feat in the home half of the third in a 30-8 win over Anna Maria Saturday, April 15. The 6-foot-3 rightie is just the 12th player in NCAA DIII history to contribute three or more triples in a single game and the only Suffolk player to do so. Chant, who leads the nation in triples and triples per game this season, is currently three shy of the single-season NCAA DIII record with 12 this season and 22 in his career. He leads the league in hits (57) and total bases (101), while owning the team top numbers in runs (41), batting average (.345), slugging percentage (.612) and stolen bases (12). The two-time GNAC Corvias Player of the week also earned a spot on the all-tournament team following a three-game stretch hitting .533, slugging .733 on eight hits with one double and one triple for five RBI and four runs scored with a trio of stolen bases.
Brenner, who was recognized earlier this week for his success in the classroom with a CoSIDA Academic All-District nod, found a spot on the league's first team and all-tournament team. The senior catcher sits among the team's top three in every statistically category, hitting .344 (45-for-131) on the year to go along with nine doubles, four triples, and a pair of jacks. The clean-up hitter from Eliot, Maine, has scored 35 runs on the season, while driving in a team-best 33. The all-conference honor is the second of his career and first on the first team.
Belskie picked up his second all-league accolade with a spot on the second team in the infield. The senior first baseman boasts an average of .339 with 42 hits for a squad-high 33 RBI. The Norristown, Pennsylvania native, has crossed home 24 times this season.
Ronchi takes home his first all-conference honor after a stand-up senior season. The outfielder's second-team selection comes thanks to a slash line of .341/.438/.434 with 44 hits in 129 plate appearances with nine doubles and one dinger. Ronchi, who hails from Randolph, New Jersey, has brought in 32 runs this season and scored 34.
Coiley highlighted the third team list as he was one of four Rams selected. The all-tournament player was elected as an outfielder for the second straight season. The junior, who calls Arlington, Massachusetts home, has held down the third spot in the order all-season to led the way on the team in on-base percentage (.496) thanks to a total of 26 base on balls, and 35 hits. Coiley has connected on nine doubles, two triples and one homer this year to produce 22 RBI to go along with 28 runs.
Cameron's third-team honor is the first league recognition of his career as the senior has been platooned at the shortstop position for the past three seasons for Suffolk. He owns an average of .308 over 35 games. The Milford, Connecticut native has recorded 41 hits on the season, scoring 29 runs, while driving in 23 to go with 11 stolen bags.
Higgins' third team selection comes in the infield. The sophomore from North Attleboro, Massachusetts, anchored the Rams' lineup in the nine spot where he contributed 34 hits including five doubles, three triples and three homers, to bring in 30 runs and score 34. Higgins became the first Ram to hit grand slam under Anthony Del Prete as he accomplished the feat in a 36-2 offensive onslaught over Anna Maria April 15. He is the first Suffolk player to clear the bases with a homerun since Jon Lapolla rocked one in an 8-2 win over Williams May 4, 2014.
Pordes rounds out the all-conference selections for Suffolk placing on the third time on the mound. The Hawthorne, product logged the second-most innings among conference arms, seeing 61.0 frames of action for a 6-1 ledger in nine appearances and eight nods. Pordes sat down a team-best 46 hitters and put together a 3.98 ERA. The junior right-handed pitcher, who was named GNAC Corvias Pitcher of the Week March 20, picked up wins over league foe Lasell twice, while taking down regional rival UMass Boston.
Neil represented the Rams on the conference's all-sportsmanship team, which was established to honor one player from each team in the league for outstanding dedication to sportsmanship and for their portrayal of good sportsmanship, fair play and positive attitude.
Since joining the GNAC ranks in 2000, Suffolk has earned 130 All-GNAC honors, including a trio of player of the year, five rookie of the year, five pitcher of the year, seven coaches of the year, 60 first-team, 44 second-team and 43 third-team selections. The Rams have received 43 all-tournament selections and seven tournament MVP.
Suffolk picked up its third consecutive conference championship on Sunday evening with a 1-0 shutout over Johnson & Wales. With the win, the Rams earn their third straight trip and seventh overall ticket to the NCAA Championship. The latest conference crown is the seventh-time Suffolk has taken home the league title as Del Prete has guided Suffolk to back-to-back-to-back championship runs in his three season as head coach since taking over the program in 2015.
First Team
C – Matt Brenner, Suffolk
INF – Andrew Scully, Albertus Magnus
INF – Brett Barbati, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
INF – Taylor Black, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
INF – Max McCoomb, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
OF – Dave Matthews, Johnson & Wales (RI)
OF – Brandon Valentin, Lasell
OF – Brady Chant, Suffolk
DH – Jameson Collins, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
UTIL – Hector Coscione, Lasell
P – Josh Partridge, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
P – Chuck Gibson, Suffolk
Second Team
C – Jacob White, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
INF – Matthew Leahey, Anna Maria
INF – Lou Umberto, Johnson & Wales
INF – Dom Mascolo, Lasell
INF – Kevin Belskie, Suffolk
OF – Rob Ballinger, Johnson & Wales
OF – Dennis Meehan, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
OF – Luke Ronchi, Suffolk
DH – Edison Mercado, Johnson & Wales
UTIL – Tyler Ferdinand, Rivier
P – Brandon Budlong, Johnson & Wales
P – Kyle Farquharson, Norwich
Third Team
C – Brandon Pedley, Norwich
INF – Ivan Reyes, Johnson & Wales
INF – Andre Marchesseault, Lasell
INF – Sean Cameron, Suffolk
INF – Kevin Higgins, Suffolk
OF – Skylar Beckerman, Lasell
OF – Kevin Lynch, Norwich
OF – Seth Coiley, Suffolk
DH – Matt Sirois, Norwich
UTIL – Noah McDaniel, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
P – Travis Godbout, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
P – Ryan Pordes, Suffolk
Gold Glove Team
C – Jacob White, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
1B – Ryan Cabral, Johnson & Wales
2B – Ivan Reyes, Johnson & Wales
3B – Taylor Black, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
SS – Lou Umberto, Johnson & Wales
OF – Rob Ballinger, Johnson & Wales
OF – LaShawn Thomas, Norwich
OF – Brady Chant, Suffolk
P – Lane Compton, Johnson & Wales
Player of the Year – Taylor Black, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
Pitcher of the Year – Chuck Gibson, Suffolk
Rookie of the Year – Joe Maracic, Johnson & Wales
Coach of the Year – Frank Pecora, Norwich
Institutional Sportsmanship Award – Rivier
All-Sportsmanship Team
Tom Moore, Albertus Magnus
Callan Finn-McMahon, Anna Maria
Greg Joubert, Johnson & Wales
Matt Haskell, Lasell
Mike Lesco, Norwich
Charlie Savard, Rivier
Cejay Suarez, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
BJ Neil, Suffolk
All-Tournament Team
Chuck Gibson, Suffolk – MVP
Matt Brenner, Suffolk
Brady Chant, Suffolk
Seth Coiley, Suffolk
Brandon Budlong, JWU
James Smiegocki, JWU
Ryan Cabral, JWU
Casey Johnson, Lasell
David Marsel, Lasell
Joe Murphy, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
Chris Gerossie, Saint Joseph's (Maine)